"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing ,but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
I Corinthians 1:18(NIV)
The Cross. What does it mean to you? For some it's nothing more than a piece of jewelry they adorn on their ear or neck. For some it is a symbol they associate with religion, or God, or people of faith. For others it might be a symbol of their faith or beliefs. Others it could be something to mark a grave or a memorial of a lost loved one. What about you?
I think the cross is a symbol that defines the follower of Jesus. That cross represents the place our sins met a Savior of sins. It represents an ugly painful death that defeated power over death. It represents the hell Jesus went through in order give us the hope of eternal life with God instead of an eternity of God's absence(hell).
I am not suggesting we worship the cross, I am suggesting that we take it seriously. If it were not for what God did through Jesus on that cross we would be lost, hopeless, and still without answers.
I think our society and world minimizes the power of the cross, but Paul reminds us in scripture that the message of the cross is the power of God. Paul said the jews wanted miraculous signs from God and the gentiles wanted wisdom, and today people haven't changed much. People want physical proof of God or they think and analyze God so much they miss Him altogether. People back in the bible saw the miracles and gained wisdom from the teachings and they still didn't believe. To many the cross of christianity is foolishness because they don't believe, don't understand, or don't accept it.
The power of God is in the message of the cross, not the cross itself. Jesus Christ. Our Savior. Our sacrifice. Our forgiveness. Our Hope. Our Salvation. Grace. Mercy. Unconditional love. Hope. Eternal Life.
For those of us who believe, we see the power of God working in our lives. It is because of that power our lives are transformed. It's because of the power of the message of the cross that we have an obligation to share that message with a world that thinks it's foolish.
The Cross. What does it mean to you? For some it's nothing more than a piece of jewelry they adorn on their ear or neck. For some it is a symbol they associate with religion, or God, or people of faith. For others it might be a symbol of their faith or beliefs. Others it could be something to mark a grave or a memorial of a lost loved one. What about you?
I think the cross is a symbol that defines the follower of Jesus. That cross represents the place our sins met a Savior of sins. It represents an ugly painful death that defeated power over death. It represents the hell Jesus went through in order give us the hope of eternal life with God instead of an eternity of God's absence(hell).
I am not suggesting we worship the cross, I am suggesting that we take it seriously. If it were not for what God did through Jesus on that cross we would be lost, hopeless, and still without answers.
I think our society and world minimizes the power of the cross, but Paul reminds us in scripture that the message of the cross is the power of God. Paul said the jews wanted miraculous signs from God and the gentiles wanted wisdom, and today people haven't changed much. People want physical proof of God or they think and analyze God so much they miss Him altogether. People back in the bible saw the miracles and gained wisdom from the teachings and they still didn't believe. To many the cross of christianity is foolishness because they don't believe, don't understand, or don't accept it.
The power of God is in the message of the cross, not the cross itself. Jesus Christ. Our Savior. Our sacrifice. Our forgiveness. Our Hope. Our Salvation. Grace. Mercy. Unconditional love. Hope. Eternal Life.
For those of us who believe, we see the power of God working in our lives. It is because of that power our lives are transformed. It's because of the power of the message of the cross that we have an obligation to share that message with a world that thinks it's foolish.
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